The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a vehicle control system 100 may comprise an engine 102, a driver input module 104, and an engine control module (ECM) 106 that controls the engine 102 and a plurality of control systems. For example only, the control systems may include a throttle control system 108, a brake control system 110, and a transmission control system 112. The vehicle control system 100 may comprise additional control systems. The ECM 106 communicates with the engine 102, the driver input module 104, and the plurality of control systems via a cable assembly (wire harness) 101.
The control systems operate according to driver inputs sensed by the driver input module 104 and control signals received from the ECM 106. Each control system may comprise one or more sensors that sense operating parameters of components (hereinafter variables) controlled by the control system. The ECM 106 may receive signals indicating values of the variables. The ECM 106 may comprise calibrated values for one or more of the variables. Based on the values sensed by the sensors, the calibrated values, and/or the driver inputs, the ECM 106 may generate control signals to control operations of the control systems.
For example, the throttle control system 108 may control throttle (not shown) based on inputs received from a driver via the driver input module 104 and control signals received from the ECM 106. For example, the throttle control system 108 may control the throttle based on a position of an accelerator pedal (not shown) sensed by the driver input module 104. The control signals received from the ECM 106 may include a value of a variable called throttle position corresponding to the position of the accelerator pedal. The throttle control system 108 may control the throttle based on the value of the variable throttle position.
The brake control system 110 may control brakes 114 based on inputs received from the driver via the driver input module 104 and control signals received from the ECM 106. For example, the brake control system 110 may control the brakes 114 based on a position of a brake pedal (not shown) sensed by the driver input module 104. The control signals received from the ECM 106 may include a value of a variable called braking force corresponding to the position of the brake pedal. The brake control system 110 may control the brakes 114 based on the value of the variable braking force.
The transmission control system 112 may control a transmission 116 based on inputs received from the driver via the driver input module 104 and control signals received from the ECM 106. For example, the transmission control system 112 may control the transmission 116 based on positions of the accelerator pedal, the brake pedal, and/or a clutch pedal (not shown) sensed by the driver input module 104. Additionally, the transmission control system 112 may control the transmission 116 based on road conditions (e.g., gradient) sensed by other control systems. The control signals received from the ECM 106 may include a value of a variable called upshift (or downshift) corresponding to the driver inputs and/or the road conditions. The transmission control system 112 may control the transmission 116 based on the value of the variable upshift (or downshift).